Thaw
by violaqueen93
Summary: In the gentle rise and fall of his chest from his breathing, I felt the calm and steadiness that Mako brought to everything, the strength in his arms contrasting with the gentleness of his fingers as they traced delicate patterns on my arm. Even Avatars need comfort sometime.


I stared into the hospital bay where healers were laboring over Bolin's broken body, their movements swift and urgent. I wanted to help, wanted to go in and do something with my healing abilities but they assured me my assistance wasn't needed in such a complex case. More precise measures would have to be taken, but they would call me if the situation warranted a water healing.

The air grew tighter and soon I was gasping, struggling to suck in enough oxygen to breath. Before I knew it I was running, running somewhere, anywhere to escape reality, to reassure myself that Bolin was fine and would be regaining consciousness. Voices shouted and hands tried to grab me but I was too quick. I sought refuge in the one place that I considered safe- the water.

Almost instinctually my feet led me down to the hospital's therapy pool, and, with a sense of reckless abandon, I dove in, freezing the water around me so none could follow. At the bottom I made myself a bubble of air, a cocoon of some sort. Finally, with a six foot thick slab of ice insulating me from the outside world, I cried.

I cried for Bolin, I cried for Jinora. I cried for the injured, for the countless others who'd had their bending stripped from them forever. I cried out of frustration and helplessness. I was the Avatar! I was supposed to be protecting these people! And yet everything I did seemed to hurt more people. I wasn't ready for this. I needed more training, more practice, more _time_, but unfortunately time was one thing I didn't have at my disposal these days. The enormity of my position finally dawned on me, and I cringed from it. Thousands were depending on me to save them, and I had no idea what I needed to do.

"Gahh!"

In the midst of my sniffling meltdown, I hadn't noticed a brightness steadily descending through my ice barrier toward me, and only when Mako suddenly broke through the top of my bubble and landed squarely in my lap did I realize he'd been burning a hole down to where I sat curled up. We stared at each other through shocked eyes.

"Ow," was all he said. Water dripped on both our heads and he seemed to realize I was waiting for more of an explanation. "Well, I wanted to make sure you were okay and didn't hurt yourself or…" He trailed off as I silently got to my feet and patched the hole he had made. I sat back down as far from him as I could and hugged my knees to my chest, burying my face into my knees.

As much as I tried, the sobs came back up, made worse by the fact Mako was seeing my breakdown. He didn't say anything for the longest time, letting my cry everything out until I sat still, defeated. "I don't know what to do," I finally admitted in an awful mewly whimper. "I can't…" I keeled over, choking on the hopelessness and fear that overwhelmed me.

Mako slid over and put a comforting arm round my shoulder. "You'll do whatever is right, you always do," he murmured reassuringly. I gratefully curled up into his side and he grimaced when he felt how cold I was, rubbing my arm. "You're freezing! Here," Unwinding his father's red scarf from around his neck, he wrapped me in it securely, conjuring up a small flame in his palm. Snuggling closer to him, I stared into the dancing flames. In the gentle rise and fall of his chest from his breathing, I felt the calm and steadiness that Mako brought to everything, the strength in his arms contrasting with the gentleness of his fingers as they traced delicate patterns on my arm.

Lately it seemed that Mako, with his even demeanor and sureness of motions, was the only one who I could really depend on, the only one I could confide in. Raising Bolin and surviving on the streets at a young age had matured him beyond his years, the weight of providing for another person weighing on him almost as heavily as the responsibilities of being the Avatar weighed on me. Our relationship had gotten off to a rocky start, progressed to the awfulness of the crush stage and eventually settled to where we were now, friends more or less, confidants. He was still with Asami, but the way he looked at me sometimes…well, I wondered.

There was only one person I trusted absolutely, without reservations, who I knew would always have my back. That person was me, because I'd never ever find anyone who supported me more than me. However, in second place I'd have to say Mako. I knew I could count on him as backup, and we had a deep trust in one another. Though a lot of people saw me cry, it was Mako who say my tears the most.

I sometimes envied Bolin- he didn't realize the full extent of Mako's devotion toward him, how much his brother looked out for him. Mako would do anything to protect him, no matter the consequences for himself. I remembered the stories Mako confessed to me, how he almost starved to death when he was ten because he stubbornly insisted Bolin eat enough to stay healthy, no matter the fact that he himself was wasting away. Now, picturing Bolin lying inert on the hospital bed, a wave of guilt swept through me.

I must have tensed because Mako's arm tightened around me, shaking me slightly. "Korra?"

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. How could he comfort me, how could he even stand to be in the same room as me, when I was the one that so severely wounded his brother? I could barely stand to face the horrors I had caused, and yet Mako's arm never wavered. "It would've been better if I'd never met you."

He snorted, surprising me. "What, and just pro-bend for the rest of our lives? Korra," He shook his head tiredly. "Your joining the Fire Ferrets was the best thing to happen to us. You gave us a chance to actually use our bending for something good for once. You gave us a home, and I've never seen Bolin as happy."

"But what about you?" I whispered, glancing at his face. "Are you glad you met me?"

His face softened. "Of course," he murmured, hugging me tighter. His lips brushed against my forehead and I sighed, relaxing into his arms. Ever since fully embracing my role as the Avatar I'd sacrificed the easygoing nature, the impulsive actions. I was closed off, frozen. Only Mako could thaw through the ice.


End file.
